Over the years, Patrick J. Murphy, a Pottsville jeweler, has proved himself to be a master of marketing stunts.

For example, in the 1990s he hosted an "Ugly Tie Contest" at his store at 115 W. Market St. In 1999, he and friend A. Matthew Dudish, the Schuylkill County recorder of deeds, promoted "The Matt and Pat Vacation Watch," a gag timepiece which was simply a rim, a crystal and a band.

This year, as his store is celebrating its centennial, Murphy is also celebrating the 10th anniversary of one of his more ambitious promotions. It's also one of the more physically taxing.

"I see you're getting your exercise for the day," Rosemary Cairns, coordinator of the Pottsville Area Kitchen, said at 12:30 p.m. Friday as she watched Murphy, 56, and one of his employees, Charles A. Hummel, 57, push two shopping carts up to the kitchen at 504 Mahantongo St.

The ceremonial shopping-cart push up the hill is the traditional promotional stunt Murphy promises at the end of his annual "Soup-er Bowl," an effort to encourage the public and local businesses to make donations to Pottsville Area Kitchen.

This year, there were a lot of donations.

"These carts have to weigh more than 100 pounds each," Hummel said.

They were filled with cans of soup, vegetables and quick meals by Chef Boyardee.

Hummel and Murphy steered the metal basket carts on the street, weaving in and out of vacant parking spaces to stay out of the path of traffic.

Murphy's "Soup-er Bowl" started Feb. 3, Super Bowl Sunday, when Murphy offered 50 percent off to customers who donated a can of soup at his stores in Pottsville, Hamburg and Center Valley.

"It's our way of giving back to the community. And we always get a great turnout," Murphy said.

Murphy also encouraged local businesses to bring donations of canned foods to his store in Pottsville. On Friday afternoon, there were two shopping carts and five cardboard boxes there filled with canned goods.

Murphy wasn't certain how much was donated this year, but he said, "I think this is going to be our best year ever."

At noon, Murphy and Hummel, a jeweler and watchmaker, pushed the carts over to M&T Bank at 1 S. Centre St. Debra A. Kutka, M&T administrative secretary, showed them a table full of canned goods collected by bank employees.

From there, Murphy and Hummel pushed the carts up to Pottsville Area Kitchen.

Then, Hummel loaded the goods they couldn't fit into the carts into Murphy's Mercedes-brand Smart Car and drove them up, too.

The kitchen, managed by St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Pottsville, has been running for 29 years. The soup kitchen is open six days a week, serving one meal a day. It's open at 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon Saturday and Sunday. It serves an average of 40 walk-ins per day, Cairns said.

"Last night we had 47," Cairns said.

Cairns said she appreciates Murphy's efforts: "It's nice. It helps the community get involved. Some people don't even know where here, and we're here since 1984."

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